Student Management Program
At Ryde Secondary College we focus on creating positive learning experiences in the classroom to engage all students.
Unacceptable Behaviour
Most unacceptable behaviour occurs in the classroom and is effectively addressed by teachers and Head Teachers. However, some may require counselling, the services of teachers with particular skills, special classes and /or appropriate referral to senior staff under the Student Management Program.
Particular measures may:
• Assist students towards full participation in the College’s educational program
• Cater for specific learning difficulties
• Address behavioural problems
• Assist students in coping with their particular difficulty or problem
• Develop a sense of self-worth and belonging to the College and the wider community
Consequences in inappropriate behaviour may include:
• Reprimand, loss of privilege, short class detention, time-out at a class-planning desk
• Close monitoring to modify behaviour via an improvement plan
• Withdrawal from class /activity
• Detention
• Parental contact
• College wide monitoring to modify behaviour via an improvement plan
• Time-out in a College planning room
• Restitution and /or College service
Inappropriate Behaviour
Student Management Program
The major aid of our Student Management Program is to initiate an integrated, systematic approach to student management with a view to preventing incidents of student misbehaviour from becoming entrenched and serious. However, it is also designed to support the process of managing the small number of students who fail to respond to the College’s programs, strategies and resources.
The Program aims to:
• Provide a means of identifying individual students who require assistance
• Support the classroom teacher in the areas of student management and welfare
• Monitor student behaviour across the College
• Provide a comprehensive record of the behaviour of individual student
For the effective implementation, the Student Management Program uses a system of stages:
STAGE 1 – Blue Card
A student at this Stage has become disruptive or behaved in an inappropriate or unacceptable manner in any of the following: the classroom, playground, College activity or during travel between home and the College. The student will be referred to the Head Teacher. The student will be asked to make an acceptable plan to modify his /her behaviour and will be monitored (within the class or group), and will be required to carry a Faculty Progress Card to monitor this plan. The Head Teacher may withdraw from class, will be under the direct supervision of the Head Teacher of a Senior Teacher who will monitor behaviour and progress. The Year Adviser will also assist to improve the behaviour. Parents will be informed by Letter A of the student’s placement on Stage 1.
STAGE 2 – Green Card
A student at this Stage has not appeared to improve his /her behaviour but has continued to disrupt the education of other students, or be unsatisfactory in two or more faculties. The student will be referred to the Head Teacher. The Head Teacher will recommend Stage 2 placement to the Student Management Panel. The student will negotiate, with the Head Teacher Year, a plan to modify his /her behaviour within the classroom, and will be required to carry a Daily Progress Card, to be completed by all of the student’s teachers, to monitor this plan. The Head Teacher Year will apply consequences. The Year Adviser will also assist to improve the behaviour of the student. Parents will be informed by Letter B of the student’s placement on Stage 2 and be invited to attend an interview.
STAGE 3 – Yellow Card
A student at this Stage has failed to respond to counselling at Stage 2, or has been promoted from Stage 4, or has been badly behaved in three or more faculties. The student will receive help from Head Teachers, the Year Adviser, Student Welfare Committee and the College Counsellor to improve behaviour. Outside agencies may be involved. The student will negotiate, with the Deputy Principal, a plan to modify his /her behaviour, and will be required to carry a College Progress Card, to be completed by all of the student’s teachers, to monitor this plan. The student may not be allowed to attend sport or any College excursions or social functions. Parents will be informed by Letter C of the student’s placement on Stage 3, and will be required to attend an interview.
STAGE 4 – Suspension
A student at this Stage has not improved their behaviour or attitude, nor responded to the assistance provided at Stage 3, and proved to be beyond the help of the College. A student at this Stage may also have repeated unacceptable or violent behaviour, or has suddenly become guilty of gross misconduct. The Principal or Deputy Principal will remove the student from all classes and College activities and place them on Suspension (either within-College, Short or Long) for the welfare of the College community. Parents will be informed and will be required to attend an interview with the Principal or Deputy Principal in an attempt to resolve the suspension. Expulsion may result.
Suspension and Expulsion from the College
Suspension highlights for the student and the parents the unacceptability of the student’s behaviour and the parents’ responsibility for remediation of that behaviour. It provides our students and their families with an opportunity to reflect on the concerning behaviours and to discuss options and approaches to foster improvement.
It also provides an opportunity for our staff to plan strategies which will assist in supporting students when they return from suspension.
The College works with parents in assisting the student to rejoin the College community and may offer counselling, access to special behaviour programs or other options to foster improvement.
As long as the behaviour is unacceptable, the student’s continued enrolment will be in jeopardy.
Suspensions can be short (up to four days) or long (up to 20 days). If these do not resolve the matter, expulsion from this College (to enrol at another high school) may result, or in extreme cases expulsion from all schools (no enrolment at a public school).
Complaint resolution procedures
While the College has in place many strategies to prevent conflict, grievances /disputes do occur. In the event that conflict occurs, grievance /dispute procedures to resolve it effectively should be implemented as quickly as possible.
The five aspects of complaint resolution are:
• Making a complaint
• Receiving a complaint
• Conciliation (response & resolution)
• Decision
• Appeal
The vast majority of concerns that arise from students, parents and others need never take the form of a formal complaint. Principals and teachers are available to discuss and resolve these concerns in more informal ways.
Note: Parents may lodge a formal complaint on behalf of their child.
